Starting device for mercury-vapor electric lamps.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

L. A. AUDIBERT. STARTING DEVICE FOR MERCURY VAPOR ELECTRIC LAMPS,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14' 1906.

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WITNESSES.

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cww OW LOUIS ANTOINEAUDIBERT, or LODEVE, rnXNcE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR MERCURY-VAPOR ELEGTBIIG LAMZPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented=March 10," 1908;

Appl cation filed September 14, 1906. Serial No. 384,647.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS ANTOINE. AU-,

DIBERT, a. citizen of the-Republic of France, residing in Lodeve, Hrault, France, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Mercury-Vapor 'Elec tric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

Among the methods of starting mercury vapor electric lamps, that which proves the best in practice is undoubtedly the method known as by preliminary contact. The principle of the mechanism for putting this method into practice is the same as that adopted for are lamps, in which the anode is controlled by the core of a solenoid. In mechanisms of the kind as used hitherto, the movable anode is suspended by a spring to the wire forming the terminal of the lamp, or to a slide on a conductor in contact with this terminal wire. These arrangements have certain defects which, according to my invention are eliininated by interposing' a mass of mercury playing the part of a conductor between the terminal wire and the movable system carrying the anode. This mercury forms a substitute for the solid slide and may be regarded as a sort of liquid slide.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the invention as applied to a bulb lamp; Fig. 2 is a similar diagram representing the arrangement for a tube lamp Figs. 3, 4-and 5-are respectively diagrams of the upper part of the lamp showing modifications.

In Fig. 1 the bulb 1 is drawn down to a narrow tube 2 the upper end 3 of which is open and is cut oil at rightangles-to the axis. In Fig. 2 the tube 1 which .incloses the mercury arc is drawn down to a narrower .which the end 3 is also cut section to form a short narrow ube 2 of off at ri t angles to the axis.

- In both figures'a tube 4 of suitable dimen sions is sealed 'to the external surface of the tube 2 so as to form an annular and cylindrical cup or chamber between itself andthetube 2.

In this chamber is contained the mercury 5. At itsup'per partthe'tube 4 has a shoulder 6 and is extended by a narrower tube 7 closed at its upper end'and thicker in the wall than the tube 4 is.

The anode 8, Figs. land 2, is connected with the core 9 by a metal wire .10 which also carries two bent conducting arms 11 of iron Wire,- for example, extending into the-mercury 5. The terminal'wire- 12. is-sealedinto-the tube-4. The stroke-of the movable'system'zis limited on the one hand by the end3aof-thetube 2 and on the other hand-by the shoulder 6 of the tube 4, against which end and-shoulder the horizontal portion of=the amnsJwLcomein contact when thesystem moves down-and up respectively.

The stroke of the movablesyetem; determines the length of the are which'is-formedain. Fig. 1 between the anode-8 and the mercury cathode 13. In atube lamp wherethestrolie would be too long for forming the-arc in this manner, aconducting filament 14 is-afiixed to the anode 8, Fig. 2, so astomake oontact. with cathode 13 when the movable-s stem descends; this. arrangement is' a eady known. In the state-of rest or in the lowest position of the movable system, the anode or the conducting filament attachedtheretods: immersed to a slight extent inthe mercury cathode 13. The bobbin: or solenoid 15- which is in series with the terminal Of thG lamp, attracts the core 9 as soon as it is energizedby thezcurrent. The movablesystem is thus raised, but the ends of thearms 11 remain immersed in themereury 5. The advantages of this arrangement are-(1a) That perfect contact between the terminab and the movable system carrying theanode is insured. (2) That sparking between the sliding contacts used by various-inventors for conducting the current is suppressed. (3) That the shocks which the terminaliwire' suflers when it carries theanode through theintermediary of a spring are eliminated, so that the hermetic sealing of the terminalnis: not damaged. Moreoverthis. arrangement: isnot influenced and is not altered by lapse of time and the contact is always insured, asthe mercury cannot he accidentally-- ejected- I from the cup containing it. I The shocks produced whenathe arms. 11

come against the endof' thetube 3 or-the shoulder 6 are always verymild: and: m even be-rendered insensible by reducing 'the weight of the movable system and? by ar ranging the solenoid in such a manner that its attraction-for -the core is not too powerful. The descent of the'movable system may be moderated by various known or suitable damping mechanisms.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the conduct-" ing arms may be reduced or increased in number as may be desired, or indeed there may be substituted for them a hollow metal cury contact and the arms may be arranged above the core of the solenoid 15 instead of below it, as shown 1n Fig. 5. The terminal 12 1s then connected with the mercury 5 by r a flexible conductor 18.

The simplicity and symmetry of the system present several advantages. It is also an advantage that the arms move freely in the mercury without touching the wall of the tube, so that friction against the glass or adhesion thereto is avoided, these ell'ects being likely to occur owing to the surface tension of the mercury. These eil'ects may be still further guarded against by increasing the weight of the movable system; it would then be ossible to reduce the mass of the mercury )y diminishing the capacity of the cup. This advantage, however, in any case only small, is counterbalanced by the inconveniences due to friction as a result of reducing the capacity of the cup. Friction or adhesion becomes more considerable when a hollow cylinder is substituted for the arms; moreover, mercury exerts considerable pressure on such a cylinder.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim v 1. In a mercury vapor electric lamp having an anode and a mercury cathode, and in which the lighting is effected by a preliminary contact between the anode and the cathode, an annular chamber above the oathode formed by two concentric tubes and containing a quantity of mercury independent of the electrodes of the lamp and which is permanently connected to one of the lamp terminals, and a contact member connected to the anode and movable therewith and extending permanently into the quantity of mercury in said annular chamber so that the latter forms a liquid-conducting slide maintaining a erfect and permanent contact of the ano c with its lamp terminal. 2. In a mercury vapor electric lamp havmg an anode and a mercury cathode and in which the lighting is cfi'ected by a pre liminar contact between the anode and the cat rode, a chamber above the cathode and containing a quantity of meicury independent of the electrodes of the lamp and which is permanently connected to one of the lamp terminals, and a contact member connected to the anode and movable therewith and extending permanently into the uantity' of mercury in said chamber so that tie latter forms a liquid-conducting slide maintaining a perfect and permanent contact ol' the anode with its lamp terminal, the anode being solid, and its connection with said contact member being of sullicicnt conductivity to insure that the arc shall be between the solid anode and the mercury cathode.

3. In a mercury vapor electric lamp which is lighted by a preliminary contact of anode and cathode, a condensing chamber carrying a supply of mercury forming the cathode, and an annular chamber above the condensing chamber formed by two concentric tubes and containing a supply of mercury independent of the electro 18 of the lamp, a movable contact member connccted with the anode and extending into the mercury in said annular chamber so as to form a liquidconducting slide which maintains a pcriect and permanent contact of the anode with the mercury in said annular chamber, the mercury in said annular chamber being connected to one of the terminals of the lamp.

4. In a mercury vapor electric lamp, a movable contact member having an arm, a chamber containing a supply of mercury connected to one of the terminals of thelamp and into which said contact member )ermanently extends so as to form a sliding liquid contact with said terminal, an anode connected with said arm at one side, a solenoid having a core connected with said arm at the other side, said chamber being provided with upper and lower shoulders forming abutments for said arm against which it strikes in its u ward and downward movement and by w ich its movement is limited to maintain it permanently in contact with the mercury.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 3rd day of September, 1906 in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS ANTOINE AUDIBERT.

Witnesses:

SYLLA N. RIOLIPENNE, JUIJEN J. POIYOL. 

